S-novel SNP of alpha-lactalbumin gene in chinese dairy goats.

Abstract

The alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) plays a key role in lactose synthesis in mammary glands of domestic animals. Mutations in the alpha-LA gene are associated with the milk traits in dairy cattle. In our study, a novel SNP: NO_X06366:g.875 C > T was detected in 708 dairy goat individuals--268 of the Xinong Saanen breed and 440 of Guanzhong breed, which revealed a synonymous mutation in the exon 1 of alpha-LA gene. The Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and sequencing techniques showed that there were three genotypes: CC, CT and TT. Moreover, the chi2-test showed that the genotype frequencies of the two breeds were in good agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05). The relationship of the polymorphism of dairy goat alpha-LA gene with the milk trait and the body size trait was revealed. Individuals with the CC genotype were significantly smaller at chest circumference than those with CT (P < 0.05) in both breeds. But the milk trait and other body size traits of the two dairy goat breeds had no significant association with genotypes studied.